(Two) Weekly Review

We've been rather reclusive of late, owing to the whole family coming down with Neverending Cough, which has resulted in stir-crazy snowflakes getting very cross when I told them that they were far too lethargic and rattly-chested to go to swimming lessons and other activities. However, over the last week we've got back into the rhythm of things, with plenty of schooling (and unschooling) happening.

We've done a few science experiments, such as testing the best conditions for sprouting alfalfa seeds  by comparing several batches, and this one about sensing relative temperatures. All three have been practising writing, particularly #1 who has developed a sudden desire to write letters, and asked me to teach him how to address an envelope correctly. (Given his general disdain for anything that entails handwriting, this is definitely something we're planning to encourage.) They have also made a little foray into music writing. Snowflake #2 has really got going with reading lately. Although we are repeating what she learned about 10 months ago, I feel it was very worthwhile to back off for a while and start again, because this time she is enjoying it a lot more and seems to be really ready for it, hence she is progressing with ease. We started our medieval literature with a version of King Arthur; this generated a flurry of interest in anything to do with knights, ladies, villains, and so on (snowflake #3, playing with Lego: "Here's King Arthur. Oh no! Here comes Sir Guy of Gisborn!").

After rejecting #3's plan to catch and eat the white goshawk so that it couldn't prey on our poultry, we all spend a few days helping Daddy Snow with the planning construction of a grand new chook pen, about twice the size of the old one and made mostly out of recycled materials from around our backyard. In the process, we learnt about some of the principles of design and construction (not to mention self tapping screws). It was lucky we got the new area completed, because with nine little fluffballs that hatched out on Friday, we now have 29 chooks in total, although some of them will end up in the pot (or possibly on the barbeque). Also on an animal related note, the snowflakes had a wonderful time at our Dogs' Home excursion last week.

A few special activities were on the agenda in honour of Easter. Like Christmas, Easter isn't a big holiday for us, but we do like to do something to acknowledge it, since it is so ubiquitously observed here (albeit often as a chocolate festival rather than a religious one). It's slightly tricky, though, since the traditional activities are essentially rites of spring that stemmed from the combining of old pagan traditions with the 'newer' Christian meaning. Since plants like daffodils appear to be dead and buried, but come back to life and flower in the springtime, we find that planting them at Easter time is a nice way to recognise both meanings. (Plus it's a good way of remembering to do this fun family activity!)

Today we had our Easter egg hunt, and also made fruit buns, both of which the snowflakes partook of with great gusto (it may be the 'wrong' time of the year, but it's still good fun!).